Keryu kept his breathing steady, eyes closed but mind alert. He could sense them—two figures standing just outside his cell, their presence faint yet undeniable.

These weren’t mere guards. They were assassins. Trained killers who knew how to mask their presence, but not well enough to fool his analytic eyes.

He had been monitoring them for days now, hoping for some clue as to their purpose. Yet, to his growing frustration, they never spoke of anything useful. Just idle chatter.

“Did you hear? The academy’s alchemy professor brewed an elixir that turned someone’s hair blue for a whole week.”

“Hah! That’s nothing. I once heard of an assassin who accidentally poisoned himself and confessed to a crime he didn’t commit.”

Trivial nonsense.

Keryu’s jaw clenched as he sat motionless in his corner. Whoever sent these assassins was powerful—influential enough to place them inside the jail undetected.

It could only be someone with authority over the academy or deep ties to the underworld.

Alex.

That bastard had the means, but did he have the motive? If Alex wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble.

No, it had to be someone else. But who?

His frustration built, and he resisted the urge to grind his teeth. He couldn’t afford to lose control now. The last thing he needed was to alert them that he was aware of their presence.

Then, something changed.

The sound of heels clicking against the cold floor of jail reached the ears of Keryu along with assassins, and a strange sense of unease clawed at Keryu’s heart.

Then, he saw her.

It was Maleshia, his first lover in the academy, and the moment Maleshia stepped into the corridor, the assassins—who had spent hours speaking nonsense—stiffened.

Their posture straightened, and their hands moved with quiet precision. And then, Keryu saw it.

A recording device.

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he forced his expression to remain impassive. They were recording this conversation. Which meant… this was planned.

His mind raced. If this recording was being made, it meant his visitor—Maleshia—was a crucial part of whatever game was being played against him.

‘Damn it.’

Maleshia stepped in front of his cell, her arms crossed, eyes filled with concern.

She was dressed formally, as always, her long black hair tied into a professional bun. But he could see it—the worry beneath her stern demeanor.

“Keryu.” Her voice was soft yet firm. “Are you alright?”

He swallowed his frustration and let out a short, dry chuckle. “Oh, I’m just peachy, ma’am. You should see the five-star treatment they have here. The moldy walls, the exquisite scent of sweat and despair—it’s lovely.”

Maleshia frowned a bit, wondering why Keryu was calling her in such a distant way before she sighed. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

She thought maybe he was just frustrated, so she tried to be understanding.

Keryu, on the other hand, kept his face unreadable. He had to get her out of this area. Now. He couldn’t let her say anything that would be used against her. Against them both.

But how could he do that without raising suspicion?

“I shouldn’t have come,” Maleshia muttered, glancing away. “But I couldn’t just sit and do nothing while you—”

He cut her off, his tone sharp. “Then go.”

She flinched. “Keryu…”

He forced himself to glare at her, his voice laced with irritation. “What are you even doing here? Pitying me? Feeling guilty?”

He leaned forward slightly, just enough to make it seem as if he was genuinely upset. “There’s nothing you can do, ma’am. So go back to your perfect little life.”

Hurt flashed in her eyes, but she quickly masked it. “I’m trying to help you, Keryu.”

Help? If she stayed any longer, she’d be the one who needed help.

His gaze flickered toward the assassins. They were completely focused, the recording device capturing every word.

His heartbeat quickened. He had to make sure nothing damaging came out of this.

He scoffed. “Help me? By doing what? Standing there and lecturing me?”

Maleshia clenched her fists. “I don’t understand why you’re acting like this—”

“Then stop trying to understand.”

She took a step back as if he had struck her. For a moment, she hesitated. Then, her face hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line.

“…Fine.” Her voice was cold now. “If that’s what you want.”

Keryu forced himself to stay silent.

Every fiber of his being screamed at him to reach out, to tell her that this wasn’t what he wanted at all. But he couldn’t. Not with those bastards watching.

Maleshia turned on her heel and walked away without another word. The moment she was out of sight, the assassins finally moved again.

“So he didn’t take the bait.” One of them muttered.

Keryu’s blood ran cold.

“Hmph. Unlike what the master predicted, he didn’t do anything inappropriate. Guess the woman doesn’t mean much to him.”

“She might not, but she’s still his woman. If he had slipped up, we could have used it.”

Keryu forced himself to remain still, but inside, his mind was screaming.

So that was their plan.

They had wanted him to slip. To let his emotions take over and reveal his relationship with Maleshia.

A teacher having an intimate relationship with a student—if that information had gotten out, Maleshia’s career would have been destroyed.

His image would have been tarnished beyond repair. And whoever had orchestrated this would have gained even more leverage over him.

His breathing was steady, but his heart pounded.

‘They planned everything…’

The worst part? He would have nearly walked right into their trap if not for his analytic eyes.

A bitter smile curled his lips as he leaned against the cold stone wall.

‘Not this time.’

If they thought he was some fool being manipulated, they were sorely mistaken.

One thing was clear now—whoever had sent these assassins wasn’t just after his downfall. They wanted him broken.

But if they thought he would crumble so easily… they had no idea who they were dealing with.

That thought, however, didn’t stay for long as the assassins spoke again.

For the first time, unaware that he could hear them, they had finally started discussing something worthwhile.

“So, what’s our next move?” One of them asked, voice low but clear.

“The master’s orders are clear,” the other replied. “We need to find out who among the imperial family of the demons is closest to Keryu. Once we confirm that, our master will handle the rest.”

Keryu’s fingers twitched slightly, his heart pounding in his chest. ‘My family? Why the hell are they dragging them into this? Do they not fear father?’

“If it’s a boy, he’ll be eliminated,” the first assassin continued. “If it’s a girl, then our master plans to ask the Demon Emperor to marry her off to him.”

Keryu’s breath hitched, his mind racing. ‘No… No, no, no…’

His sister.

His first love.

She was the only one he cared for in his family, and the way things seemed to be going, she would be in danger.

Things he had managed to keep at bay because of his deal with his father, the demon emperor, Anos Voldigod, would no longer remain like that if things went on like this.

Rage bubbled inside him, threatening to spill over, but he bit down on the inside of his cheek. He couldn’t afford to lose control now.

Whoever their master was must be very powerful to dare to scheme with the demon emperor’s children.

The assassins, on the other hand, went on.

“I saw the Demon Emperor visit our master recently,” one of the assassins murmured. “It seems like they have a good relationship.”

Keryu clenched his fists, nails digging into his palm hard enough to draw blood. The Demon Emperor wasn’t just some political figure. He was one of the strongest beings in existence.

If their master truly had the Demon Emperor’s favor, then this was far worse than Keryu had imagined.

It could be possible for them to get his sister’s hand from his father if they really were that influential, and this was the worst situation he could come across.

The being he was dealing with was dangerous.

And yet… it made sense. The resources, the power, the influence—whoever their master was, they weren’t just some noble playing games. This was someone with connections at the highest level.

‘Damn it all…’

“We don’t have confirmation yet,” the second assassin said, his tone cautious. “But the master suspects he already knows who it is. He’s just not sure.”

Keryu’s blood ran cold.

“He’s coming here soon.”

Silence. Even the air felt heavier as the moment stretched.

“He’ll also bring a lie detection artifact,” the assassin added. “To confirm his suspicions.”

Keryu’s stomach twisted in knots. He had been preparing for the possibility of being interrogated, but not from someone he didn’t even know about.

If this bastard brought a lie-detection artifact, there was no room for error.

“Of course, if we can get the information before our master arrives, it would prove our loyalty and usefulness,” the assassin continued. “The sooner we find out, the better.”

Keryu forced himself to stay still and keep his breathing even, but his mind was a storm of fury and dread.

‘They’re planning to use my sister…’

His fingers curled into a fist, trembling slightly with barely restrained rage. ‘They’re planning to use my first love…’

A dark promise settled in his heart.

‘Whoever this master is… they will die by my hands.’

The hatred burned hot inside him, but he knew he had to be careful. If he let his emotions take over now, he’d be walking straight into their trap.

He took a slow breath, forcing himself to think.

‘Their master is coming here. That means I don’t have much time. I need to be ready.’

His mind started to work through possibilities.

He needed to create a plan—one that would not only protect the people he cared about but also ensure that these bastards paid for even thinking of using them.

As the assassins continued their idle chatter, unaware of the monster they had just awakened, Keryu sat silently, his expression unreadable.

His path was clear now.

Prepare.

Survive.

And when the time came—

Kill.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep